This time around The Moody Blues are celebrating the 45th anniversary of their landmark album, Days Of Future Past. Released in 1967 and presented as a day in the life of an everyday person, the album included “Nights In White Satin.” The song was originally released as a single in 1967 and re-released in 1972 as radio began playing longer songs. The album version of “Nights In White Satin” is more than seven minutes in length, approximately twice the length of most Top 40 songs released during the late '60s / early '70s.

“The Moody Blues: The Voyage Continues – Highway 45” begins with several concerts in Florida including the tour opener in Hollywood at the Seminole Hard Rock Live March 11 plus Fort Myers at the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall March 12; Clearwater at the Ruth Eckerd Hall March 13; Melbourne at the King Center For Performing Arts March 14; and St. Augustine at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre March 17.

Other stops include Knoxville, Tenn., at the Tennessee Theatre March 19; Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium March 21; Atlanta at the Fox Theatre March 24; Durham, N.C., at the Durham Performing Arts Center March 25; Washington, D.C., at DAR Constitution Hall April 3; Westbury, N.Y., at NYCB Theatre At Westbury April 14-15; Uncasville, Conn., at the Mohegan Sun Arena April 13; and Niagara Falls, N.Y., at Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel.

Not only is the band offering VIP packages giving fans those treasured up-close-and-personal moments, but special “Storytellers Experiences” will be available before the evening’s performance for St. Augustine, Nashville, Durham and Uncasville.

Some dates are already on sale and several shows go up this week. Visit MoodyBluesToday.com for more information.

--Jay Smith

Comments

The Moody Blues of 1964’s British Invasion sounded much different than the group that later fused rock and classical music in “Nights in White Satin.” Their first hit “Go Now” was a cover of a little-known R&B track by Bessie Banks. Rockaeology at http://bit.ly/j62HX0 tells how Denny Laine’s vocals and Mike Pinder’s piano made it a rock classic. The Bessie Banks original was produced by Leiber and Stoller, who called it “the most over-looked soul performance of the sixties.”